


Nick and Stephen Do Iceland

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Primeval
Genre: Enjoying iceland together, Fluff, Holiday, Iceland, M/M, No Anomalies, Northern Lights, Whale Watching, holiday surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 18:10:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6668983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Stephen decide a break in Iceland is just what they need.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nick and Stephen Do Iceland

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kristen_mara](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=kristen_mara).



> Written as a Christmas present for the always delightful kristen_mara who wanted a fic set in Iceland. All the activities mentioned are things I've done myself in Iceland, except for some notable exceptions near the end *g* 
> 
> Originally posted to Livejournal in 2014.

**Day One – Whale Watching**

Bundled up against the cold, Cutter looked more like an Inuit than a man about to embark on a whale-watching trip. Stephen, dressed just as warmly but somehow still able to resemble a runway model, thought it best not to say anything.

“It gets bloody cold out on the water,” Cutter grumbled as they headed towards the waterfront.

“Did I say otherwise?”

Cutter muttered something into his scarf which Stephen wisely chose to pretend he hadn’t heard. Instead he sorted out their tickets and followed Cutter on board the boat. This week in Iceland was supposed to give them a chance to relax, away from anomalies and dinosaurs and Stephen was determined to make sure they _both_ enjoyed themselves.

“Sorry,” Cutter said. He nudged Stephen with his shoulder. “I just feel like a blancmange.”

Stephen laughed. “That is an image and a half,” he said. “Come on, let's go find a good spot.”

* * * * *

They had been absolutely right to wrap up so warm, the further they got from the mainland, the colder it seemed to get. The water also got choppier and by the time they'd reached what the guide considered an optimal site Stephen and Cutter were the only ones not to have made use of the provided sick-bags.

“Nothing says romance like the sounds of vomit hitting paper, does it?” Stephen laughed.

Cutter tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably, and Stephen had to help him sit down as he doubled over with laughter.

A shout of “whale!” from their guide had every one who was able rushing to the side of the boat. Stephen held the railing tight with one hand and had his camera clutched in the other.

“Beautiful,” Cutter marvelled as first one and then three minke whales danced around their boat. Stephen nodded his agreement, grateful that their expedition had worked out – he had been worried that they wouldn't see any wildlife at all.

He was surprised when Cutter planted a very cold kiss against his frozen cheek.

“Thank you. You were right, as usual. A break from the ARC was exactly what I needed.”

Stephen snuggled closer to Cutter and they settled back to watch as more and more whales appeared.

**Day Two – Thingvellir National Park**

Thingvellir National Park was the place Cutter was most anxious to see. On the organised coach there he had waxed lyrical – to Stephen and half the coach, much to the tour guides growing amusement – about the Great Atlantic Rift.

“Being able to stand at the point where the North American and European tectonic plates are separating, to see _brand new land_...”

“Because we've certainly never seen what no one else has ever seen...” Stephen muttered under his breath.

Cutter seemed to realise he'd been taking over again and lapsed into silence for the rest of the journey, soothed by Stephen taking his hand.

When they arrived they both had to take a moment to compose themselves. The landscape was even more stunning than they'd been lead to believe.

“Wow,” said Stephen, when he'd managed to catch his breath.

“Wow, indeed,” Cutter agreed.

They amiably trudged after the guide as he showed them the exact spot where the Vikings had held their first general assembly, in AD 930. Stephen insisted that he and Cutter get a photo at the Law Rock, marked by the Icelandic flag. Cutter even refrained from pulling faces, the first time at least.

“I've never understood your aversion to photos.”

“Of course not,” Cutter scoffed. “Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?”

Stephen ducked his head and said something that Cutter didn't quite catch. He didn’t push though, just moved away to follow the guide up a steep hill that threatened to take his breath away. The wind whipped at their faces but the view was worth any amount of discomfort.

As was having Stephen by his side.

**Day Three – The Northern Lights**

The threatened fog had held off and Stephen and Cutter were now bundled heavily in thick coats, scarves, hats, and boots. Cutter secretly thought he looked like the Stay Puft monster, but Stephen had only planted a quick kiss on his cold red nose before he'd been able to say as much.

The guide joked with them the whole bus journey, telling tales of the nearby construction halted out of consideration for the elves. Stephen squeezed Cutter's hand very tightly so he wouldn't comment.

“Elves,” Cutter muttered under his breath.

Stephen squeezed harder.

They came to a stop by the side of a silent road. They were given hi-vis strips that wrapped around their arms before being allowed off the coach.

Stephen pulled Cutter a little away from the crowd, shivering as the cold night air settled around them. They could hear their guide talking about weather patterns but easily tuned him out.

“Excited?” Stephen asked, bouncing slightly on his heels.

Cutter laughed. “You've seen the Northern Lights before.”

“When we were working. This is different. Isn't it?”

Stephen stared straight ahead. Cutter moved to stand in front of him, putting his hand to the back of Stephen's neck and drawing him in closer.

“Yes, it is.”

Stephen smiled into their kiss as above them the sky was lit up in greens and purples.

**Day Four – Seven: The Hotel**

Sated, sticky and very, very happy, Stephen rolled over on to his back and stared up at the ceiling. He was glad they'd taken enough photos at the beginning of their trip to account for their holiday, they certainly couldn't explain the last four days to anyone else.

“Do you think we could get married in Iceland?” Cutter mumbled into the pillow.

Stephen blinked a few times. “Jenny would probably kill us,” he said after a beat.

“Aye, probably. Breakfast, then pack?” Cutter asked, moving towards the bathroom.

Stephen tracked his movements as he would a predator.

“Did you just - “ He stopped, as Cutter clearly wasn't listening. And surely he'd misheard, or misunderstood, or...He shook his head. Not even Cutter would propose in such a cackhanded way, would he?

He tried to remember how Cutter had proposed to Helen, before remembering that Helen had done the proposing. And suddenly he wasn't feeling very happy any more.

Cutter came out of the shower ten minutes later and Stephen roused himself enough to appreciate Cutter's body with water droplets trickling down it. If nothing else, chasing dinosaurs for a living had done wonders for the man's physique.

Stephen plodded into the bathroom for his own shower, grateful for the first time that it was hardly big enough for one. Once he was done he barely glanced at the mirror, then froze and turned back to look at it more closely.

Cutter peered around the door, looking nervous.

“Well, what do you say?”

Stephen looked between Cutter and the mirror, the “will you marry me?” starting to fade as Cutter let in cooler air.

“Stephen?”

Stephen swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat. “Yes, yes, of course”.

Cutter's smile was blinding.

Stephen narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Was that on your Iceland bucket list too?”

Cutter looked a shade too innocent for Stephen's liking and ducked out of the room.

Stephen slowly followed him. “I think we're going to need a new flight,” he told Cutter.

“Oh?”

“I've got a few things on my own bucket list I need to work through, before you make an honest man out of me.”

And as Stephen dropped his towel he was already starting to plan all the things he was going to do to make sure their honeymoon was just as memorable.


End file.
